Chapter 58

Anna thought to herself, what secret? And how did Jacqueline learn about it when James himself was not aware of it? Anna swiftly tucked this tidbit in her brain. Who knows? She may have to make use of it when she gets stuck.

"How do you know about that?" Perla asked alarmed at her knowledge

"How's or when's doesn't matter. Learn that I know something about your secret and I can use it at any time"

"What...what do I have to do?" Perla asked her as she swiped the sweat on her forehead. She thought no one was aware of that secret. How come Jacqueline laid hands on it? From whom or where has she gathered her intel?

"Simple. Just follow your son", Jacqueline smirked as she said that.

"You mean...", Perla trailed her sentence as her heart beat faster understanding the implication.
"Yes. I mean that", Jacqueline confirmed her thoughts.

"How could I? He is surrounded by security. He can recognize me easily", Perla said fearing the danger she may have to face if she does as Jacqueline is suggesting.

"Then you better hire someone to do that", Jacqueline suggested the alternative.

Perla gave a long sigh and said, "very well. I will hire someone"

"I don't have to specify about the discretion", Jacqueline warned the delicateness of the situation.

"I'm not born yesterday", Perla gritted out vehemently.

"Just being sure Perla. It was nice doing business with you"

"Wait! How do you know about my secret?" Perla whispered the last part as she questioned her. She wants to find out the leak. If Jacqueline can find out then James surely can.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out", Jacqueline dragged out enjoying the squirming Perla must be doing because of her entanglement.

Once she cut the call, Jacqueline faced Anna and ignoring her questioning look, said,
"You tell your mother to keep James busy".

"What do you mean to keep him busy?" Anna asked, not liking her manner.

Jacqueline sighed thinking she has to explain every simple thing to her, "make her challenge your stepfather's will".

"But he doesn't have two dimes to rub with. And I'm not even sure he has any will", Anna said unclearly.
"If there is none, then tell her lawyer to create one", she said with an insouciant shrug.

"Fake?" Anna asked bewildered

"Whatever fits the bill. Let her drag the fight out. James must not be able to draw a breath. Keep him so tangled that he will slip up about Cinderella", Jacqueline wrinkled her nose at the thought of that woman and continued, "And he will slip up", Jacqueline gave an evil smirk as she pictured it happening.

"What if he finds out?" Anna asked, scared for her mother. She may not love her mother in a conventional way, but she is concerned for her.

Jacqueline gave her an irritated glare.

"Of course, he will find out. This is James we are talking about", she snapped as if she couldn't get any dumber.

"You are asking my mom to be the scapegoat? James will crush her and me too"

"Casualties happen Anna. And don't be so dramatic. I saw your mother at the church. She is happily chatting with her lady group. Looks like she has already set up a backup plan. What are you concerned about?"

"Do you think James will consider that? I'm not asking my mom to do anything", Anna said as she rose to walk away, before Jacqueline may ask another impossible thing.

"Uh! Fine. I have to do everything. Make her stall him. Make her ask James to write the place she is living in her name. James will never agree to that. Meanwhile, I will ask one of my lawyers to create a fake will. And once it is done, it is 'accidentally' couriered to James's in the presence of your mother"

"Brilliant! Then my mom wouldn't be blamed for that", Anna clapped her hands at the easy solution.

"Absolutely. James won't have any choice but to question the will. Just remind your mother to not say anything regarding the will until then. Once the will emerges, she can have a field day with the lawyers"

"It looks too good. What exactly will you add-in that will make James fight for it?"

Jacqueline smirked at Anna and said, "Name. Your stepfather may have nothing but he had the name that rules that company"

"Of course, James does too"

"Does he?" Jacqueline questioned liking the fact that she holds the secrets

"What are you saying about?" Anna asked, confused with Jacqueline's line of thought. She is glad she doesn't live with her, otherwise, she might go mad like the woman sitting in front of her.

"Ask your mom not to throw your stepfather's hairbrush. We might need it for the DNA test", Jacqueline said evasively.

"Are you saying...James... is not his son?" Anna asked horrified at the revelation

Jacqueline gave her a Cheshire Cat grin instead of replying.

Anna asked stunned, "the secret Perla is hiding...it is connected to this. Doesn't it?"

"Not that dumb after all", Jacqueline applauded for her light bulb moment.

"Well...I will be damned", Anna gave a laugh imagining James struggling to prove his identity.

"I'm really curious. How did you find out?" Anna asked leaning towards her

"Remember what happened to the cat when it got curious?" Jacqueline instead said evasively

"Huh! To whom will I tell? I'm neck-deep in this. You involved my mom too. Who else can I approach?"

"You have a point. Have you ever wondered where James got his up-handedness? It's not from his father.
Not surely from Perla. He is nothing like them with his honor and moral code"

"I agree. But that doesn't mean he is not their son. His hair matches with his father"

"Honey, there are dark-haired men dime a dozen on the street. Does that mean they all related to him?"

"No. But that doesn't mean he is not his father. You are stalling Jacqueline. How did you find out? Why did you think to look into that?"

"Alright...alright! Hold your damn horses. Have you ever heard about Familial Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy?"

"Is that some kind of massage?" Anna asked once again confused and second-guessed herself 'why is she sitting here talking about messages with this woman who threatened her mother?'

"Seriously?" Jacqueline gave a groan loud enough to be heard by other patrons. What must she go through to bring James to heel!

"It's a heart condition, you idiot. It thickens the heart muscles. Generally, such diseases are genetically passed down. Some show the symptoms and in some, it lays dormant. You may not know it but James's 'family' has a long line of deaths due to heart problems. Tell me how James's father died?"

"Uh...some heart condition", Anna replied unconcerned and thought where is she going with this logic?

"Exactly! Now you see my point?"

"Not exactly"

"Thirteen years ago, I wanted to know beforehand if James is also gonna die like them. So, I asked doctors to conduct the test privately. I saw there no need to involve James in such trivial matters"

"You mean you want to know beforehand how long you may have to wait to get your hands on his money"

"Careful Anna. Spite me and forget James, you may have to worry about me"

"I was just kidding. Since we are partners in crime you know. Pun intended"

"We are not partnering and we will never be"

"Then what do you think this is?" Anna asked angrily

"This...is you working for me"

"You- "

"Uh-Uh. I said to be careful. You don't want to anger me"

"How did you get blood from him?"

"It's child's play. All I had to do was act as if my blood percentage is low and faint in front of him"

"That doesn't explain everything"


"Do I have to specify the measly things too? I bribed the doctor beforehand to say to James that the bag my kind of blood group is not available right now. As James and my blood groups are the same, it didn't raise any red flags for him"

"Interesting"

After that, they had their wine in silence.

Once finished, Anna posed to Jacqueline, "why do you think Perla was so afraid of her secret?"

"Duh! James doesn't know about his lineage"

"No. No. I get that. But what's the harm in telling him?"

At Jacqueline's pointed glare, Anna quickly explained, "I'm telling from Perla's point of view. She was already divorced. James already hates her. What big trouble will she land in if she told him?"

"Who knows!" Jacqueline snapped at her, while grudgingly accepted the fact that why didn't she think about that?

"Just think about it. Now her ex is also dead. Even if she doesn't know that fact, what does she have to fear, unless..." Anna trailed down.

"Unless she is not his mother!" Jacqueline completed it in stunned silence.

"I don't know. We are jumping the guns here. But it would be interesting to learn what she is hiding"
"Perla will do as we say. For now, it's all that matters"

"Why did you tell her 'mother' differently then?"

"I was referring to the secret she is carrying. Not her identity. However, it worked in our favor"
"You have some dumb luck"

At Jacqueline's glare, Anna continued,

"That's all nice and good but how will you manage to avoid James's eyes? He might be telling James about our meeting right now. And then it's only a matter of time before James connects the dots", Anna said pointedly looking through the window to the figure of Tank.

"It's really tragic but casualties happen when you drive a car on a highway"

"You mean to say..." Anna trailed, panicked that she might be involving herself in a murder case if she is not careful.

"Accidents happen. People die. It's a sad world we live in", Jacqueline gave an evil laugh as she said that.